AIB All-Ireland Junior Club Hurling final: Glenmore (Kilkenny) 2-8 Eoghan Rua (Derry) 0-12

By Paul Keane
 
They've had greater days as a club but Glenmore still celebrated heartily after adding the AIB All-Ireland junior hurling club crown to the senior title they previously won.
 
Full-forward Alan Murphy did the damage with 2-2 at Croke Park as the Kilkenny outfit came good on their favourites tag despite struggling after a strong start.
 
Murphy's first-half goals after eight and 18 minutes put Glenmore into a strong position early on and they led all the way from there despite a courageous Coleraine comeback that came up just short.
 
Kilkenny goalkeeper Eoin Murphy also made the score sheet while Richie Mullally, another player with years of county experience, operated in the half-back line for Glenmore.
 
It was a stiff challenge for the Derry men though Coleraine, backboned by five McGoldrick brothers, fought gamely and rued those early goal concessions as they broke even generally. They trailed by nine points after that early goal blitz but recovered to trail by just three during the second-half before eventually losing out.
 
Glenmore were missing captain and county attacker Ger Aylward following his cruciate knee ligament injury suffered in the semi-final win over Dungourney.
 

Goalscorer Murphy beat his man, full-back Liam McGoldrick, for both of his goals and in good conditions the favourites led 2-5 to 0-2.
 
But Coleraine surprisingly outscored Glenmore by four points to one in the remainder of the half, upping the ante noticeably and giving themselves a foothold in the game again.
 
Some of their scores were beauties too with Liam and Colm McGoldrick splitting the posts from either wing while Thomas Magee nailed a fine point just before the break, leaving the score 2-6 to 0-6.
 
That six-point gap was cut in half seven minutes into the second-half following two more Ciaran Gaile free conversions and a Seán Leo McGoldrick point.
 
The three-point gap remained in place with 10 minutes remaining when Glenmore were just 2-8 to 0-10 ahead having managed only three points - and only one from open play - since the 18th minute.
 
Ciaran Gaile's seventh converted free of the game brought the margin down to just two entering injury-time but Glenmore held on.

 
***
 

Scorers for Glenmore: Alan Murphy 2-2, Mark Aylward 0-4 (0-4f), Eoin Murphy and Shane Murphy 0-1 each.
 
**Scorers for Eoghan Rua, Coleraine: **Ciaran Gaile 0-7 (0-7f), Sean Leo McGoldrick 0-2, Liam McGoldrick, Colm McGoldrick and Thomas Magee 0-1 each.
 

Glenmore: David Aylward; Sean Duggan, Fergal Freyne, Shane Doherty; Philip Roche, Richard Mullally, Mark Phelan; Shane Murphy, Darren Aylward; James Cody, Eoin Murphy, Emmet Vereker; Alan Murphy, Michael Phelan, Mark Aylward. Subs: Liam Hennessy for Darren Aylward  (h/t), Ben Doherty for Phelan (53), Dean Croke for Shane Murphy (62).

Eoghan Rua, Coleraine: Patrick Mullan; Ciaran Lagan, Barry McGoldrick, Liam McGoldrick; Anton Rafferty, Niall Holly, Pearse Dallas; Sean Leo McGoldrick, Ruaidhri Leonard; Ciaran Gaile, Ruairi Mooney, Declan Mullan; Ciaran McGoldrick, Colm McGoldrick, Thomas Magee. Subs: None used.
 
**Referee: **James Clarke (Cavan)